Orientable support for a patient



Jana fi, 1970 J. HAYAT ORIENTABLE SUPPORT FOR A PATIENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Nov. 29, 1967 United States Patent 3,488,047 ORIENTABLE SUPPORT FOR A PATIENT Jacques Hayat, Paris, France, assignor to Sochibo Societe de Produits Chimiques de Boulogne-sur-Seine, Boulogne-sur-Seine, France, a French body corporate Filed Nov. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 686,628 Claims priority, application France, Feb. 6, 1967,

93,775 Int. Cl. A61g 13/00 US. Cl. 269-623 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support for a patient comprising a platform which is pivotable on a stand about four pivot axes embodied by universal joints, each of the universal joints being disconnectible by locking means to allow the pivoting of the platform about a selected one of the four pivot/axes by the action of thrust means acting on the platform in the vicinity of the centre of gravity of the platform.

The present invention relates to orientable supports for patients (beds, operating tables and examination tables, dentist chairs and like supports) comprising a platform or the like for carrying the patient and oriented by tilting relative to a stand about any one of a plurality of pivot axes.

Supports having an orientable platform are known, but usually the mechanisms for orienting the platform by pivoting about transverse and longitudinal axes are complicated and inconvenient to handle by the health service personnel.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and provide an improved patient supporting support having a platform or the like which is orientable by pivoting, said device being simple in construction, very easy to employ and absolutely reliable in operation with no danger of mishap.

In the support according to the invention the platform or the like is of rectangular shape and pivoted at each end by universal joints or the like to a support stand so that the platform is pivotable relative to the stand about any of four pivot axes two of which are longitudinal and two transverse, which are disposed roughly along the edges of the platform, said support further comprising withdrawable locking means for locking or unlocking the universal joints so that only the journals or the like of the joints corresponding to the desired pivot axis are locked, each of the journals of the joints corresponding to the three other pivot axes being free to move away from its complementary bearing, and a thrust device for exerting a thrust on said platform at a point in the vicinity of the centre of gravity of said platform.

As will be understood, after having locked the journals or the like corresponding to one of the pivot axes and unlocked all the other journals, it is sufficient to exert by means of the single thrust device a thrust on the platform to pivot it about said axis. If all the journals are unlocked, the platform moves in translation.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a support for a patient capable of constituting a bed or operating or examination table, this support being improved in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the support of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the pivotal mountings of the patient-carrying platform on the cradle constituting a chassis;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and a FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale.

The drawings show the invention applied to a bed for a patient or an operation or examination table. This support comprises the combination of a stand or a chassis constituting a cradle A and a platform B constituting the patient-carrying support proper.

This platform B is rectangular and connected to the cradle A by four universal joints I, II, III and IV which embody four pivot axes. Axes WW at the head end of the bed and X-X at the foot end of the bed are transverse axes and axes Y-Y and ZZ on the right and left sides of the bed respectively (as viewed from the foot end of the bed) are longitudinal axes. These four axes are parallel and adjacent to the transverse and longitudinal edges of the platform B.

The patient support is completed by a single device C for exerting an upward thrust on the platform or bed B, the resultant of the thrust at least substantially intersecting the centre of gravity of the platform.

Each of the aforementioned parts will now be described in more detail.

Cradle A.--It for example consists of sectional, preferably tubular, elements, namely two lower longitudinal elements 1 provided with uprights 2 which are integral therewith or attached thereto and upper support bars 3. The assembly is braced by various cross-elements such as 4 and 5. This chassis or cradle A can constitute a sledge, as shown, or be mounted on rollers so as to constitute a carriage.

The construction just described is not intended to be exclusive; the support could also consist of sheet metal cut out and assembled by fasteners, welding or other means, or of pressed-out sheet metal.

Platform B.It consists of a frame comprising two longitudinal elements 6, two end transverse elements 7 and intermediate transverse elements 8. It constitutes a bed either in itself or owing to the provision of elements attached thereto. It of course includes a mattress and/or any other auxiliary devices of known type depending on the particular function of the patient-carrying support.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the platform B is connected to the cradle or chassis A by four universal joints I to IV. One of the latter is shown on an enlarged scale in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Fixed to the longitudinal elements 6, for example by rivets 9, is a member 10 constituting a double fork whose lower branches are mounted to rotate about the transverse axis WW or X-Xaccording as it concerns one of the devices I, II or III, IV-on a first pair of journals 11 of a cross generally designated by the reference character 12. This cross is provided with a second pair of journals 13 having an axis YY, if it concerns one of the joints I or II, or an axis ZZ if it concerns one of the joints II or IV. The two journals 13 rest on two bearing members 14 preferably in the shape of a V, and one of them can be locked to the corresponding bearing member by means of a retractable lock consisting of a slide 15 integral with a handle 16 and slidably mounted on the bearing members 14.

When the slide 15 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 3, the journal 13 is free to move away from its whose floating cylinder 17 receives a liquid under pressure from a pump 18 through a flexible pipe 19. Pivoted to the cylinder for pivotal movement about a transverse axis 20 are two pairs of twin links 21 and 22 which constitute a first toggle. The two links 21 are pivoted by a universal joint 23 to one of the cross-elements 4 of the cradle A.

This joint 23 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 5. Fixed to the cross-element 4 by welding or other means are two members 24 in which are journalled one of the pairs of journals 25 of a cross 26 whose other two journals 27 are perpendicular to the journals 25 and journalledin the ends of the links 21. This allows these links to pivot in the plane of FIG. 1 and become inclined to each side of this plane.

The other pair of twin links 22 is pivoted in a simila manner by another universal joint 28 to two parallel uprights 29. The two uprights 29 are rigidly fixed to the corresponding. cross-elements 8 of the platform B.

. The piston rod 30 of the jack V is pivoted to two pairs of twin links 31 and 32 forming another toggle identical to the toggle 21-22, these links being respectively pivoted by universal joints 33, 34 to the lower cross-element 4 and to two uprights 35 similar to the uprights 29 and fixed to the other cross-element 8 of the platform B. The uprights 29 and 35 are braced by one or two twin longitudinal bars 36.

The support operates in the following manner:

In the position of rest, the platform B bears horizontally through the four joints I-IV on the chassis or cradle A.

In order to raise the whole, while pivoting it about one of its pivot axes, it is merely necessary to feed the jack V after having unlocked all the joints except the two which, by one of the pairs of their journals, embody the desired pivot axis. For example, to pivot the platform about the transverse axis WW the two joints I and II are locked by bringing their locking slides 15 over the corresponding journal 13 while the locking slides 15 of the two joints III and IV are withdrawn.

Briefly, for longitudinal pivotal movements with inclination on the right lateral side, the joints II and IV are unlocked whereas for a pivotal movement about the axis ZZ on the left side the joints I and HI are unlocked. For declivous or proclivous inclinations, it suffices to lock respectively the joints I and II and release the joints III and IV or vice versa.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The support can be in the form of a dentists chair, the

' 4 pivotable platform being then essentially constituted by the seat proper with the armrests and backrest.

The jack of the thrust device C can be other than a hydraulic jack (for example of the screw type) and the connection to the platform can be achieved by means other than two toggles.

Having now described my invention what -I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-isz' 1. A support for a patient, said support comprising, a support stand, a rectangular pivotable platform for carrying the patient, disconnectible pivotal connections including universal joints pivoting each end of .saidjsupport to said stand whereby said support is pivotable relative to said stand about any of four pivot axes of which two are longitudinal pivot axes and two transverse pivot axes, said pivot axes being located substantially along the edges of said platform, Withdrawable locking means combined with each pivotal connection for selectively disconnecting and connecting the pivotal .connection, whereby only thepivotal connections corresponding to the desired pivot axis are connected, each of the pivotal connections corresponding to the three other pivot axes being free to become disconnected, and a thrust device associated with said platform for exerting a thrust on said platform at a point in the vicinity of the centre of gravity of said platform. I v

'2. A support as claimed in claim 1, wherein four universal joints pivot said platform to said stand.

3. A support as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thrust device comprises a jack having a cylinder and a piston, and two toggles interconnecting said platform and said stand, said jack being associated with said toggles to act thereon and raise said platform.

4. A support as claimed in claim 1, wherein each universal joint comprises a cross having four journals and bearing members for the journals, two of said bearing members for two aligned journals ,of said four journals being lower half-bearing members, said locking means being slidably mounted on one of said half-bearing members and being selectively engageable over and withdrawable from one of said four journals.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 520,576 5/1894 Scearce 269-323 XR 1,740,906 12/1929 Rothauszky et al. 269323 XR 2,010,269 8/1935 Kutsukian 298-17.7

' ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner D. D. EVENSQN, Assistant Examiner 

